PONTIAC GRAND-AM 1994 Owners Manual

Service & Appearance Care
Tire Inspection and qotation
i’o make ,your tires last longer, have them
nspected and rotated at the mileages
ecommended
in the Maintenance
ichedule. See “Scheduled Maintenance
jervices”
in the Index.
Jse this rotation pattern.
4fter the tires have been rotated, adjust
he front and rear inflation pressure as
;hown on the Tire-Loading Information
abel. Make certain that all wheel nuts arc
xoperly tightened. See “Wheel Nut
rorque” in the Index.
When It’s Time for New
Tires
One way to tell when it’s time for new
tires is to check the treadwear indicators,
which
will appear when your tires have
only
2/32 inch (1.6 mm) or less of tread
remaining.
You need a new tire if
You can see the indicators at three or
more places around the tire.
0 You can see cord or fabric showing
through the tire’s rubber.
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0 The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut
or snagged deep enough to show cord
or fabric.
0 The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
0 The tire has a puncture, cut, or other
damage that can’t be repaired well
because of the size or location of
the
damage.
Buying New Tires
To find out what kind and size of tires you
need, look at the Tire-Loading Information label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it
was new had a Tire Performance Criteria
Specification (TPC Spec) number on each
tire’s sidewall. When you get new tires,
get ones with that same TPC Spec
number. That way, your vehicle will
continue to have tires
that are designed to
give proper endurance, handling, speed
rating, traction, ride and other things
during normal service on your vehicle. If
your tires have an all-season tread design,
the TPC number will be followed by a
“MS” (for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those
not having a TPC Spec number, make
sure they are the same size, load range,
speed’rating and construction type (bias,
bias-belted
or radial) as your original
tires.
It’s all right to drive with your compact
spare, though. It was developed for use on
your vehicle.
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading
The following information relates to the
system developed by
the United States
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration which grades tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature
performance. (This applies only to
vehicles sold in the United States.)
I’readwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative
eating based on the wear rate of the tire
when tested under controlled conditions
)n a specified government test course. For
:xample, a tire graded
150 would wear
me and a half
(1 1/2) times as well on the
;overnment course as a tire graded
100.
rhe relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly
from
the norm due to variations in driving
habits, service practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
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Service & Appearance Care
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading
(CONT.)
Traction - A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to
lowest are: A,
B, and C. They represent
the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement
as measured under controlled conditions
on specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete.
A tire marked C
may have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade assigned to
this tire is based on braking
(straight-ahead) traction tests and does
not include cornering (turning) traction.
Temperature - A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the
highest),
B, and C, representing the tire’s
resistance to the generation
of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified
indoor laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause the material
of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire
life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure.
The grade C corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger car tires
must meet under the Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades
B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel
than the minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this
tire is established for a tire that is properly
inflated and not overloaded. Excessive
speed, underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or
in
combination, can cause heat buildup and
possible tire failure.
These grades are molded on the sidewalls
of passenger car tires.
While the tires available as standard or
optional equipment on General Motors
vehicles may vary with respect to these
grades, all such tires meet General Motors
performance standards and have been
approved for use on General Motors
vehicles. All passenger type
(P Metric)
tires must conform to Federal safety
requirements
in addition to these grades.
Wheel Alignment and Tire
Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned
and balanced carefully
at the factory to
give you the longest tire life and best
werall performance.
[n most cases, you will not need to have
your wheels aligned again. However,
if
you notice unusual tire wear or your
vehicle pulling one way or the other, the
alignment may need to be reset. If you
notice your vehicle vibrating when
driving on a smooth road, your wheels
may need to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked or
badly rusted. If wheel nuts keep coming
loose, the wheel, wheel bolts, and wheel
nuts should be replaced. If the wheel
leaks air, replace
it (except some
aluminum wheels, which can sometimes
be repaired). See your Pontiac dealer
if
any of these conditions exist.
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Your dealer will know the kind of wheel
you need.
Each new wheel should have the same
load carrying capacity, diameter, width,
offset, and be mounted the same way as
the one
it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your wheels,
wheel bolts, or wheel nuts, replace them
only
with new GM original equipment
parts. This way, you
will be sure to have
the right wheel, wheel bolts, and wheel
nuts for your Pontiac model.
NOTICE:
The wrong wheel can also cause
problems
with bearing life, brake
cooling, speedometer/odometer
calibration, headlight aim, bumper
height, vehicle ground clearance,
and tire or tire chain clearance to the
body and chassis.
Used Replacement Wheels
‘ire Chains
NOTICE:
If your Pontiac has P195/70R14,
P2 15/60VR 14, P195/65R 15 or
P205/55R16 size tires, don’t use tire
chains; they can damage your
vehicle.
If you have other tires, use tire
chains only where legal and on
when you must. Use only
SAE
Class “S” type chains that are the
proper size for your tires. Install
them on the front tires and tighten
them as tightly
as possible with the
ends securely fastened. Drive slowly and follow the chain
manufacturer’s instructions. If you
can hear the chains contacting your
vehicle, stop and retighten them. If
the contact continues, slow down
until- it stops. Driving too fast with
chains on will damage your vehicle.
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Service & Appearance Care
w Appearance Care
Remember, cleaning products can be
hazardous. Some are toxic. Others can
burst into flame if you strike a match or
get them on a hot part of the vehicle.
Some are dangerous if you breathe their
fumes in a closed space.
When you use
anything from a container to clean your
Pontiac, be sure to follow the
manufacturer’s warnings and instructions.
And always open your doors or windows
when you’re cleaning the inside.
Never use these to clean your vehicle:
0 Gasoline
0 Benzene
0 Naphtha
0 Carbon Tetrachloride
0 Acetone
0 Paint Thinner
0 Turpentine
0 Lacquer Thinner
0 Nail Polish Remover
hey can all be hazardous -- some more
an others
-- and they can all damage
)ur vehicle, too.
NOTICE:
Don’t use any of these unless this
manual says you can. In many uses,
these will damage your vehicle:
0 Alcohol
0 Laundry Soap
0 Bleach
0 Reducing Agents
Cleaning the Inside of
Your Pontiac
Use a vacuum cleaner often to get rid of
dust and loose dirt. Wipe vinyl or leather with a clean, damp cloth.
Your Pontiac dealer has two GM cleaners,
a solvent-type spot lifter and a foam-type
powdered cleaner. They will clean normal spots and stains very well.
Do not use
them on vinyl or leather.
. . .204
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Here are some cleaning tips:
0
0
0
0
0
Always read the instructions on the
cleaner label.
Clean up stains as soon as you can
--
before they set.
Use a clean cloth or sponge, and
change to a clean area often. A soft
brush may be used if stains are
stubborn.
Use solvent-type cleaners in a
well-ventilated area only. If you use
them, don’t saturate the stained area.
If a ring forms after spot cleaning,
clean the entire area immediately or
it
will set.
Using Foam-Type Cleaner
on Fabric
0 Vacuum and brush the area to remove
any loose dirt.
0 Always clean a whole trim panel or
section. Mask surrounding trim along
stitch or welt lines.
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Mix Multi-Purpose Powdered Cleaner
following .the directions on the
container label.
Use suds only and apply with a clean
sponge.
Don’t saturate the material.
Don’t rub
it roughly.
As soon as you’ve cleaned the section,
use a sponge to remove the suds.
Rinse
the section with a clean, wet
sponge.
Wipe off what’s left with a slightly
damp paper towel
or cloth.
Then dry it immediately with a blow
dryer or
a heat lamp.
NOTICE:
Be careful with a hair dryer or heat
lamp. You could scorch the fabric. ~
0 Wipe with a
clean cloth.
Using Solvent-Type
Cleaner on Fabric
First, see if you have to use solvent-type
cleaner at all. Some spots and stains will
clean off better
with just water and mild
soap.
If you need to use a solvent:
0
0
Gently scrape excess soil from the
trim material with a clean, dull knife
or scraper. Use very little cleaner, light
pressure and clean cloths (preferably
cheesecloth). Cleaning should start at
the outside
of the stain, “feathering”
toward the center. Keep changing to a
clean section of the cloth.
When you clean a stain from fabric,
immediately dry the area with an air
hose, hair dryer, or heat lamp to help
prevent a cleaning ring. (See the
previous NOTICE.)
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Service & Appearance Care
Special Cleaning
Problems
Greasy or Oily Stains
Such as grease, oil, butter, margarine,
shoe polish, coffee
with cream, chewing
gum, cosmetic creams, vegetable oils,
wax crayon, tar and asphalt.
Carefully scrape off excess stain.
Follow the solvent-type instructions
described earlier.
Shoe polish, wax crayon, tar and
asphalt will stain if
left on a vehicle
seat fabric. They should be removed
as soon as possible. Be careful,
because the cleaner will dissolve them
and may cause them to 'spread.
Non-Greasy Stains
Such as catsup, coffee (black), egg, fruit,
fruit juice, milk, soft drinks, wine, vomit,
urine and blood.
0 Carefully scrape off excess stain, then
sponge the soiled area with cool water.
D If a stain remains, follow the foam-type
instructions described earlier.
B If an odor lingers after cleaning
vomit or urine, treat the area with
a waterbaking soda solution:
1 teaspoon (5 ml) of baking soda to
1 cup (250 ml) of lukewarm water.
B If needed, clean lightly with
solvent-type cleaner.
Combination Stains
Such as candy, ice cream, mayonnaise,
:hili sauce and unknown stains.
Carefully scrape off excess stain, then
clean with cool water and allow to dry.
If a stain remains, clean it with
solvent-type cleaner.
Cleaning Vinyl
Use warm water and a clean cloth.
0 Rub with a clean, damp cloth to
remove dirt. You may have to do it
more than once.
0 Things like tar, asphalt and shoe
polish will stain if you don't get them
off quickly. Use a clean cloth and a
solvent-type vinyl cleaner.
Cleaning Leather
Jse a soft cloth with lukewarm water and
L mild soap or saddle soap.
B For stubborn stains, use a mild
solution of 10% isopropyl alcohol
(rubbing alcohol) and
90% water.
Never use oils, varnishes, solvent-based or abrasive cleaners,
furniture polish
or shoe polish on
leather.
Soiled leather should be cleaned
immediately. If dirt is allowed to work
into finish,
it can harm the leather.
Cleaning the Top of the
Instrument Panel
Use only mild soap and water to clean the
top surfaces of the instrument panel.
Sprays containing silicones or waxes may
cause annoying reflections
in the
windshield and even make
it difficult to
see through the windshield under certain
conditions.
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Care of Safety Belts
Keep belts clean and dry.
Glass
Glass should be cleaned often. GM Glass
Cleaner (GM Part
No. 1050427) or a
liquid household glass cleaner will
remove normal tobacco smoke and dust
films.
Don’t use abrasive cleaners on glass,
because they may cause scratches. Avoid
placing decals on the inside rear window,
since they may have to be scraped
off
later. If abrasive cleaners are used on the
inside of the rear window, an electric
defogger element may be damaged. Any
temporary license should not be attached
across the defogger grid.
4 Cleaning the Outside of
the Windshield and
Wiper Blades
If the windshield is not clear after using
the windshield washer, or
if the wiper
blade chatters when running, wax or other
material may be
on the blade or
windshield.
Clean the outside of the windshield with
GM Windshield Cleaner, Bon-Ami
Powder@ (GM Part
No. 1050011). The
windshield is clean if beads
do not form
when you rinse it with water.
Clean the blade by wiping vigorously
with a cloth soaked
in full strength
windshield washer solvent. Then rinse the
blade with water.
Wiper blades should be checked on a
regular basis and replaced when worn.
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Service & Appearance Care
Cleaning the Outside of
Your Pontiac
The paint finish on your vehicle provides
beauty, depth of color, gloss retention and
durability.
Washing Your Vehicle
The best way to preserve your vehicle’s
finish is to keep it clean by washing it
often with ‘lukewarm or cold water.
Don’t wash your vehicle in the direct rays
of the sun. Don’t use strong soaps or
chemical detergents. Use liquid hand, dish
or car washing (mild detergent) soaps.
Don’t use cleaning agents that contain
acid or abrasives. All cleaning agents
should be flushed promptly and not
allowed to dry on the surface, or they
could stain. Dry the finish with a soft,
clean chamois or a 100% cotton towel to
avoid surface scratches and water
spotting.
High pressure car washes may cause
water to enter your vehicle.
Finish Care
Occasional waxing or mild polishing of
your Pontiac may be necessary to remove
residue from the paint finish. You can get
GM approved cleaning products from
your dealer. (See “Appearance Care and
Materials” in the Index.)
Your Pontiac has a “basecoat/clearcoat”
paint finish. The clearcoat gives more
depth and gloss to the colored basecoat.
Always use waxes and polishes that are
non-abrasive and made for a
basecoat/clearcoat paint finish.
NOTICE:
Machine compounding or
aggressive polishing on a
basecoat/clearcoat paint finish may
dull the finish or leave swirl marks.
I
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1
1
Aluminum Wheels
(If So Equipped)
Your aluminum wheels have a protective
:eating similar to the painted surface of
your car. Don’t use strong soaps,
zhernicals, chrome polish, abrasive
:leaners
or abrasive cleaning brushes on
them because you could damage this
coating. After rinsing thoroughly, a wax
may be applied.
NOTICE:
If you have aluminum wheels, don’t
use an automatic vehicle wash that
has hard silicon carbide cleaning brushes. These brushes can take
off
the protective coating.
Tires
Your Pontiac dealer has a GM White
Sidewall Tire Cleaner. You can use a stiff
brush with the cleaner.
When applying a tire dressing always take
care to wipe
off any overspray or splash
from painted surfaces. Petroleum-based
products may damage the paint finish.
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Weatherstrips
Silicone grease on weatherstrips will
make them last longer, seal better, and not
stick or squeak. Apply silicone grease
with
a clean cloth at least every six
months. During very cold, damp weather
more frequent application may be
required. (See “Recommended Fluids
&
Lubricants” in the Index.)
Sheet Metal Damage
If your vehicle is damaged and requires
sheet metal repair or replacement, make
sure the body repair shop applies
anti-corrosion material to the parts repaired
or replaced to restore corrosion protection.
Foreign Material
Calcium chloride and other salts, ice
melting agents, road oil and tar, tree sap,
bird droppings, chemicals from industrial
chimneys, and other foreign matter can
damage your vehicle’s finish
if they
remain on painted surfaces. Use cleaners
that are marked safe for painted surfaces
to remove foreign matter.
Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep
scratches in the finish should be repaired
right away. Bare metal will corrode
quickly and may develop into a major
repair expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired
with touch-up materials available from
your dealer or other service outlets. Larger
areas of finish damage can be corrected
in
your dealer’s body and paint shop.
Underbody
Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow removal
and dust control can collect on the
underbody. If these are not removed,
accelerated corrosion (rust) can occur on
the underbody parts such as fuel lines,
frame, floor pan, and exhaust system even
though they have corrosion protection.
At least every spring, flush these
materials from the underbody with plain
water. Clean any areas where mud and
other debris can collect. Dirt packed in
closed areas
of the frame should be
loosened before being flushed. Your
dealer or an underbody vehicle washing
system can do this for you.
Chemical Paint
Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric conditions
can create a chemical fallout. Airborne
pollutants can fall upon and attack painted
surfaces on your vehicle. This damage
can take two forms: blotchy,
ringlet-shaped discolorations, and small irregular dark spots etched into the paint
surface.
Although no defect in the paint job causes
this, Pontiac will repair, at no charge to
the owner, the surfaces of new vehicles
damaged by this fallout condition within
12 months or 12,000 miles (20 000 km)
of purchase, whichever comes first.
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